Is The Prep Medication Effective For Treating Hiv Infection
PrEP medications are not effective alone for treating HIV infection. If you acquire HIV infection while taking PrEP, the provider who conducted the HIV test should either provide HIV medical care or refer you to a healthcare provider who can provide HIV care. The HIV care provider will conduct lab tests and determine the most effective regimen to treat your HIV infection. There is no evidence that having taken PrEP will impact the effectiveness of your HIV treatment. People who acquire HIV while on PrEP can be successfully treated with HIV medications.
Who Should Consider Taking Prep
PrEP is for people without HIV who are at very high risk for getting it. This includes:
Gay/bisexual men who
- Have an HIV-positive partner
- Have multiple partners, a partner with multiple partners, or a partner whose HIV status is unknown and
- Have anal sex without a condom OR
- Have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease in the last 6 months
Heterosexual men and women who
- Have an HIV-positive partner
- Have multiple partners, a partner with multiple partners, or a partner whose HIV status is unknown and
- Don’t always use a condom when having sex with people who inject drugs OR
- Don’t always use a condom when having sex with bisexual men
People who inject drugs and
- Share needles or other equipment to inject drugs OR
- Are at risk for getting HIV from sex
If you have a partner who is HIV-positive and are considering getting pregnant, talk to your health care provider about PrEP. Taking it may help protect you and your baby from getting HIV infection while you try to get pregnant, during pregnancy, or while breastfeeding.
Prep Is A Daily Pill For Hiv Prevention
PrEP is a new way to prevent HIV. Its a prescription medicine that, when taken every day, greatly reduces your risk of getting HIV by blocking the virus.
If you are HIV-negative and think you might be at risk of getting HIV, taking PrEP can give you protection and peace of mind.
PrEP does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea or syphilis, so you should continue using condoms to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
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Can Daily Prep Be Used By People Who Are Pregnant Breastfeeding Or Planning To Have A Baby
Daily PrEP is safe to take while pregnant and breastfeeding, for both the parent and the baby. PrEP may also be an HIV prevention option for couples who want to have a baby if one partner is HIV positive and not on successful treatment. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or planning to have a baby.
Prep Hiv Prevention For Alantas Lgbtq Community
Atlantas LGBTQ community is especially susceptible to infectious diseases like HIV and AIDS. Unfortunately, the options for progressive, non-judgmental HIV treatment, management and prevention is somewhat limited for individuals who are transgender, gay, bisexual, or are gender non-conforming. In turn, it can be difficult to find a provider who provides an open and non-discriminatory space that embraces all walks of life.
Erin Everett, NP-C, AAHIVS, is an Atlanta HIV specialist who is committed to providing safe spaces for everyone to receive the highest quality healthcare especially those within Atlantas LGBTQ community. Erin has dedicated herself to providing access to healthcare for the local LGBTQ community, particularly for Atlanta patients who seek PrEP, HIV testing, treatment, and management of HIV or AIDS. For more information, Contact Erin to schedule an appointment.
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Whats The Difference Between Pep & Prep Hiv Prevention Pill
Post-exposure prophylaxis is a time-sensitive form of HIV prevention where HIV-negative individuals take medications after coming into contact with HIV to dramatically reduce their risk of becoming infected. Unlike PrEP, PEP is only a month-long course of drugs, but it must be started within 72 hours after being exposed to HIV. While PEP is used as a short-term HIV prevention strategy after one suspects they may contracted the virus, PrEP is a long-term, ongoing form of treatment that gives individuals greater peace of mind. For more information read my blog post or listen to my podcast episode about PrEP vs. PEP.
Where Is Prep Available
Currently, PrEP is not available everywhere in the world and even in countries where it has regulatory approval it may not be easy to get hold of for a number of political or resourcing reasons.
In some countries PrEP is available for free, or subsidised as part of the national health system, in other countries you will have to pay for it privately.
The good news is that international guidelines now recommend that PrEP should be made widely available, so even if it’s not available to you right now, it may be an option in the future.
If you are interested in getting PrEP contact a healthcare professional who should be able to advise you on how you can do this. They will also be able to offer the advice, monitoring and support to help you take PrEP correctly and ensure you are fully protected.
There are also dedicated websites that can help you buy PrEP. However, taking PrEP without medical advice and monitoring has health risks, so you should always get a professional health check if you do buy PrEP online.
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Could Prep Work For Me
It doesn’t matter what your gender identity and sexual orientation are. It’s a good option for someone in any of these situations:
- In an ongoing relationship with an HIV-positive partner
- Has sex with multiple partners and doesn’t always use condoms
- Injects drugs or shares needles
If you’re a woman who wants to have a baby with an HIV-positive man, ask your doctor about PrEP. It may be a way to lower the chances of you and your baby getting HIV.
Research is still being done on the effects of taking PrEP when you’re transgender and having hormone therapy. No bad reactions have been reported so far.
How Can I Make Sure I Dont Give Hiv To Anyone During Sex
If you find out that you have HIV, try to stay calm. People living with HIV can have normal, healthy relationships and sex lives. But its important to take precautions to help your partner stay HIV-free.
There are a few ways that you can avoid giving HIV to other people:
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Always use condoms when you have vaginal and anal sex.
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Start treatment for HIV as soon as possible, and keep taking your HIV medicine. When you take it correctly, HIV treatment can lower or even stop your chances of spreading the virus to your sexual partners .
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Theres a daily pill your partner can take to lower the risk of getting HIV, called PrEP.
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Dont share needles for shooting drugs, piercings, or tattoos.
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Get tested and treated for other STDs besides HIV regularly. Having other STDs makes it easier for you to spread HIV to others.
If you test positive for HIV, its important to tell your sexual partners about it so they can be tested, too. Even if youre really careful to not spread HIV, be honest with your future partners about your status so you can both be informed and help each other stay healthy. Read more about talking with your partners about HIV.
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Are There Other Types Of Prep
For gay men and other men who have sex with men there is an option to take on-demand PrEP. On-demand PrEP means taking pills only on days before and after having sex. This could be a good option for men who know in advance when they will have sex. It involves taking two pills 2 to 24 hours before sex, one pill 24 hours after the first dose, and another pill 24 hours after that. If a person has sex several days in a row, they should continue to take a pill every 24 hours until two days after the last time they have sex.
For women and trans guys who have vaginal sex, it is very important to take PrEP every day and not miss any pills because daily dosing is needed to keep drug levels high in the vagina.
Where Can I Get Prep
PrEP must be prescribed by a medical provider. If you have a provider, you can ask them about starting PrEP. If you need a provider, or want a provider that already prescribes PrEP, use the resources below to find someone. Below is a list of resources to get connected with PrEP and other related services.
For transgender and gender non-conforming individuals who qualify, PrEP can be provided for participation in one of our PrEP research studies.
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Questions And Answers About Prep The Hiv Prevention Pill
When PrEP, the HIV prevention pill, was approved in the United States in 2012, it was met with controversy and confusion. But the truth is, theres nothing controversial or confusing about this important HIV prevention tool.
PrEP is a tool that people who are not living with HIV can use to reduce their chance of becoming HIV positive. PrEP works even if you have sex with someone who is HIV positive and dont use other forms of protection, like condoms.
PrEP works for all different types of people from all different walks of life. More than 150,000 people in the United States are already taking PrEP, and experts estimate that more than 1 million more are eligible.
PrEP is only available with a prescription. Doctors will often only prescribe PrEP if a person is considered to be at , meaning you may benefit from having an extra tool in your sexual health toolkit.
The important thing to remember about PrEP is that it is most effective when taken as prescribed. And, despite rumors you may have heard to the contrary, theres nothing slutty or shameful about taking PrEP if you and your doctor agree its right for you.
Visit Your Doctor Every 3 Months
It is recommended to see your doctor every 3 months for repeat HIV and STI tests and for a new PrEP prescription.
PrEP can have some side effects, so work with your doctor to monitor your general health.
PrEP does not provide protection against other STIs
Condoms and lubricant can provide protection against and reduce the risk of spreading a STI.
It is important to have a sexual health test every 3 months while on PrEP, even if you have no symptoms.
To find out about more about PrEP, how to access it and the costs, visit PrEP Access Now.
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How Do I Take Prep
There are two ways to take PrEP:
One tablet per day
- women
- transgender men having vaginal/frontal sex
- men having vaginal or anal sex with women
- gay and bisexual men
Things to consider:
You will need to take PrEP for 7 days before you are protected, and then every day for as long as you want protection.
Event-based where you take PrEP before and after planned sex
Recommended for:
- gay and bisexual men
Things to consider:
This option would work for you if you are able to plan for sex at least two hours in advance or you can delay having sex for at least two hours.
There are different types of event-based PrEP depending on your pattern of sexual activity, so make sure you talk this option through with a health professional.
Once I Start Taking Prep Do I Have To Keep Taking It For Life
No. People change, their circumstances change, and so too does their need for PrEP.
You can stop taking PrEP if your situation changes and you think its unlikely youll be exposed to HIV for the foreseeable future. But similarly to starting PrEP, stopping is a decision you should make after talking it over with your health care provider.
Ultimately, PrEP is about having an extra tool to prevent HIV infection. Every person deserves to feel empowered to have sex in exactly the way they prefer. Educating yourself on the potential benefits of PrEP can help you make better choices about your sexual health.
The bottom line is: PrEP is a good HIV prevention tool thats there for you whenand ifyou need it.
Myles Helfand contributed reporting to this article.
Sony Salzman
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What Types Of Prep Are Available
Two PrEP pills are approved by Health Canada. Both pills contain emtricitabine plus one other drug either tenofovir disoproxil fumarate or tenofovir alafenamide . TDF + FTC was the original form of PrEP and it is available in generic drug formulations. The other combination, TAF + FTC, is only available as the brand name drug, called Descovy.
TDF + FTC has been approved for daily use, to reduce the risk of sexual HIV transmission in people at high risk for HIV infection TAF + FTC is only approved for daily use by gbMSM. However, PrEP can be prescribed in other ways that have not been approved, called off-label prescribing. For example, healthcare providers can prescribe PrEP for on-demand use by gbMSM, or for daily use by people who inject drugs to reduce the risk of HIV transmission via shared drug use equipment.
Who Should Consider Taking Pep
If you are HIV-negative and you think you may have been recently exposed to HIV, contact your health care provider immediately or go to an emergency room right away.
You may be prescribed PEP if you are HIV negative or don’t know your HIV status, and in the last 72 hours you
- Think you may have been exposed to HIV during sex,
- Shared needles or drug preparation equipment, OR
- Were sexually assaulted
Your health care provider or emergency room doctor will help to decide whether PEP is right for you.
PEP may also be given to a health care worker after a possible exposure to HIV at work, for example, from a needlestick injury.
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Who Should Take Prep
PrEP can be used by people who are HIV negative and at high risk for HIV infection. Canadian guidelines define this as:
- men or transgender women who report condomless sex with men and have any of the following:
- infectious syphilis or rectal bacterial STI in the last year
- use of post-exposure prophylaxis more than once
- a high score on a valid HIV risk assessment tool
The above list includes people who are likely to be at the highest risk of getting HIV. These criteria can be used to identify PrEP candidates but should not be used to deny someone access to PrEP. Other individuals may be at risk for HIV through sex or drug use and could benefit from the use of PrEP. For example, the Canadian PrEP guideline states: When considering PrEP for heterosexual adults on the basis of having multiple or unknown-status partners, practitioners must make decisions on a case-by-case basis, using local epidemiologic data and patient-reported risk behaviours/exposures in the partner.
Access Prep Through The Australian Healthcare System
If you are an Australian resident with a current Medicare card you can access PrEP through the PBS at a subsidised cost. This means any doctor or general practitioner can write a script for PrEP which you can take to any pharmacy for dispensing or visit the PrEP Access Now website for other cost-effective options. Keep in mind you may have to pay for your doctors visit if its not a bulk billing service.
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Who Is Prep For
PrEP is for people who are at risk for HIV. You might want to use PrEP as a way of staying HIV negative if you:
- sometimes have vaginal or anal sex without using a condom and you dont know the current HIV status of one or more of your sex partners
- have a sex partner who is HIV positive and not on successful treatment
- use injection drugs and sometimes share needles or other equipment
Talk to your doctor or nurse about whether PrEP is right for you.
Working With Your Current Provider
If you already have a regular provider, talking to them about PrEP can be a good first step. Below are some resources that can help.
- Tips on talking to you doctor, visit: .
- Is your provider unfamiliar with PrEP? You can give them this resource so that they can learn more, .
If your provider refuses to prescribe PrEP, use the following resources for help.
- Help from Lambda Legal: .
- Help from Human Rights Campaign: .
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Can Prep Be Stopped And Restarted Safely
PrEP can be safely stopped and started again based on a persons risk for HIV. If a person wants to stop taking PrEP, or restart after a period of not taking PrEP, they should talk to their healthcare provider about how to stop and/or restart PrEP safely.
Generally, when stopping daily PrEP, it is recommended that the medication be continued for some time after the last possible exposure to HIV. It is recommended that gbMSM, whose risk for HIV is via anal sex, can stop taking daily PrEP two days after their last sexual encounter. For everyone else , the ideal number of days to take PrEP after their last exposure to HIV is unknown it could be up to 28 days.
GbMSM who use on-demand PrEP should follow the on-demand schedule and continue taking PrEP for two days after the last time they have sex. PrEP can then be stopped safely.
If a person who has stopped taking PrEP wants to restart, they should be tested for HIV before starting again if there has been any possible HIV exposure since they last took PrEP. PrEP is only for HIV-negative people if a person has HIV, they need HIV treatment. People starting daily PrEP should wait seven days after their first dose before having anal, vaginal or frontal sex.
GbMSM also have the option of restarting PrEP using an on-demand strategy, but they may need to be tested for HIV first. This could be a good option for men who know in advance when they will have sex or who find they are having sex less often.